If you have drawings that you work on or create that has objects, text or even a single character that is equally spaced over some distance. Divide is a easy and very useful command that you should be using. The divide command uses points or blocks to divide an entity into equal parts. The Divide command is closely related to the Measure command but different in that the Measure command places points at measured intervals along a polyline, the Divide command prompts you as to how many parts (spaces) you want to create.

This is a web profile of a simple 2D steel wide flange beam and we will call it A1. In some cases, smaller beams or joist will connect to this to this beam. This connection is usually done with an angle that has two to three holes in it. We need to create a block of this angle and we will name that block "a343" and set the top hole of angle A343 to be located 3" from the top of the beam flange on part A1, so we will offset the top holes center line 3" up. In order for block A343 to be inserted at the correct location when using the Divide command, we will need to place the blocks insertion point in a place that is predictable. As stated earlier, the top hole of the angle needs to be 3" down from the top of beam A1 and the horizontal position of the angle is the edge of the outstanding leg. In order to have angle A343 be placed where we want it we will use the block command and a few filters. At the command prompt type in block and enter the block name of a343. When AutoCAD prompts for the insertion point type in ".X" and AutoCAD will respond with "of" and using the OSNAP ENDOF, pick the top left corner of the angle. Now AutoCAD is telling you that it needs the Y and Z axis to complete the block command. Respond to AutoCAD by typing at the (need YZ) prompt NEA and select the offset centerline. When AutoCAD prompts you to select objects, window only the angle.

Bringing back the profile of beam A1, at the command prompt type in the command Divide. AutoCAD will now prompt you to select an object to divide. Since we set block A343 to be 3" down from the top flange of beam A1, select that line. The AutoCAD prompt is "<Number of segments>/Block" enter "B" for block, and the block name to insert will be "a343". Now AutoCAD is asking you a question that will have an effect on the attitude of your block. AutoCAD is asking you if you want the block aligned with the selected object. The answer to this question is important because if, in this case, the line was drawn in the direction from 0 to 180 or right to left, our angle will be inserted upside down and backwards if our response to this prompt is yes. If you have set up your block to behave in a specific manner, and you do not know how the object in which you are dividing was drawn answer no to this prompt. The last question AutoCAD has for you is "Number of segments". What this is really asking is, "how many spaces to you want", if you answer 2, you will get one angle A343 block inserted in the middle of your beam. If you respond to the "Number of segments" prompt thinking that you need three angles in your beam, then respond with the number 4. Get it........

You can make the blocks that you are inserting much more complex by adding typical dimensions and dimension lines. Attributes however will not prompt you for information and are not editable.